Partner Article

Government kickstarts plans for growth

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday announced plans to create a Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership as part of a national move to boost growth and jobs in communities.

Proposals for twenty-four local enterprise partnerships were given the green light by Government, in a landmark move that will see local business and civic leaders working together to drive sustainable growth.

The submission for Teesside and Darlington - submitted by Tees Valley Unlimited - is the only North East bid to be approved so far.

Commenting on the announcement, James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), said: “We are delighted that the Government has listened to the overwhelming consensus that it was vital for the North East to have a strategic body to handle key priority areas alongside the Local Enterprise Partnerships.

“Such a body will reinforce the Tees Valley LEP and any future LEP covering the area from Durham to Northumberland and help both to develop more quickly and effectively.

“The announcement ends weeks of waiting for the new direction of sub-national policy and it is essential that we get the North East Economic Partnership and the Local Enterprise Partnerships up and running immediately. NECC and its members are poised to play a meaningful role in this new era for local economic growth.”

Ministers announced the first wave of successful partnerships yesterday as part of a new plan for local economic growth, which sets out the Government’s role in empowering locally driven growth, encouraging business investment and promoting economic development.

Ministers also declared the £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund open for business.

The fund will support the creation of private sector jobs and will particularly support communities currently dependent on the public sector, helping them make the transition to private sector led growth and prosperity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .